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Hotel review: Dolce La Hulpe Brussels

A relaxing four-star getaway nestled in the UNESCO-recognised Sonian Forest on the outskirts of the Belgian capital.

Accommodation

The 264 rooms at Dolce La Hulpe range in size from the 28sqm ‘superior’ up to the 92sqm ‘Sequoia Suite’, with a king-size bed. The room I stayed in had a sparkling bathroom with bath and shower, heated towel rack and all the usual suspects such as mini shampoos and conditioners.

The room also had a large HD TV, fluffy white bathrobes and slippers and fantastic views of the Sonian Forest.

Meetings space

The hotel was originally an IBM training centre before being converted, so there are two large auditoriums capable of seating 150 and 500 people and a lot of meeting space (4,500sqm).

The meeting rooms all have floor-to-ceiling windows letting in lots of natural light, with many of them offering the aforementioned views of the tranquil forest. We used one of the meeting rooms for a yoga and wellness session. But the spaces would be equally suited to more business-like pursuits as they come fully equipped with AV equipment that can be set up by the hotel’s on-site tech team.

Food and beverages

The hotel has two restaurants, the Argan buffet restaurant where you’ll find breakfast in the morning and the Brasserie 135, which serves the more high-end fare. I very much enjoyed my starter of smoked salmon with herring caviar, paired with a glass of Chardonnay, before moving onto a monkfish main course, also paired with a local beer.

All of the food on the menu has a suggested drinks pairing, so it seemed foolish not to indulge. Speaking of which, I went for the Cappuccino tartlet with Baileys as a dessert and a delicious glass of Belgian whisky (no, I didn’t know Belgium made whisky either) to round things off nicely.

There are also a couple of decent bars where you can try out a range of Belgian beers (if the whisky doesn’t tempt you).

Location and activities

The purpose of my trip to Dolce La Hulpe was to be an early guinea pig for its Trails of Discovery activity, organised by Wyndham Rewards UK and Belgian Instagram fitness sensation Gaelle VP. We went mountain biking through the forests, solving clues to our next destinations on a treasure trail, which included time in a museum dedicated to the artist Jean-Michel Folon, who grew up in the area.

Once we were pedalled out, it was time for yoga and mindfulness – not something I am well acquainted with but found very relaxing. As was the Cinq Mondes spa treatment and massage on the previous day. Don’t let anyone tell you that reviewing hotels is an easy job.

When it came to the time to leave, we hopped in a taxi back to the Brussels Eurostar terminal, which was a half hour drive away. Alternatively, it’s 20 minutes from Brussels airport.

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